Method of producing pipe balls



Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

JOHN H. HALL, OF HIGH BRIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNDR TO TAYLOR-"WHE.RTOI\TIRON AND STEEL COMPANY, OF HIGH BRIDGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

METHOD OF PRODUCING PIPE BALLS.

N Drawing. Application filed June 5,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Join: H. HALL, a citizenof the United States, residing at High Bridge, in the county ofHunterdon and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Methods of Producing Pipe Balls, of which the follow innis a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide for the production ofmanganese steel pipe balls characterized by their uniformly fine grainedstructure and by their marked ability to resist the abrasive action ofhot skelp.

Heretofore, and before my invention, in making pipe balls of manganesesteel, the steel has been poured hot, the effect of which is to disposethe crystals in the form of columns at right angles to the surface ofthe hall. Moreover, this objectionable and inherently weak crystallinestructure is further weakened by burning in the heat treatment of theball. In service the pressure of the skelp on a ball with this structureweakens the crystal bond and tears apart the columnar structure, therebyimpairing, if not actually destroying, the efficiency of the ball.

According to my invention the steel is poured at a temperature close toits freezing point whereby I obtain a casting having a uniformly finegrain structure, and which is further characterized by its freedom fromcolumnar crystals. The avoidance of columnar crystals eliminates burningof the 1922. Serial No. 566,105.

casting in the heat treatment of the ball. The balls-are charged incomparatively small lots into a furnace heated to a temperature of atleast 800 C. The temperature is then elevated and brought to about 1060C. In

from twenty-five to forty minutes, whereupon the balls are quenched inwater. Practice has demonstrated that a cold-poured ball heated rapidly,in the manner indicated, is remarkable for both its longevity andability to resist abrasive wear.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of producing; pipe balls, which consists in casting ballsfrom manganese steel poured at a temperature close to its freezingpoint, charging the balls into a hot furnace and rapidly elevating thetemperature to about 1060 C. and then quenching the balls.

2. The method of producing pipe balls characterized by their freedomfrom COlUmnar crystals and by their ability to resist abrasive wear,which consists in charging c0ldpoured manganese steel balls into afurnace heated to a temperature of at least 800 0., rapidly raising thetemperature to the maximum usually employed in the heat treatment ofmanganese steel, the balls in water.

3. A pipe ball consisting of a cold-poured manganese steel casting freefrom columnar crystals and burnt spots.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN H. HALL.

and quenching

